Attitude Matter

I was in a clinic last Thursday evening. After checking, the Doctor asked me if I want MC or not. I immediately replied "no, I don't want" which appear the Doctor a bit surprise. As his face change some form, he double confirmed me by questioning, "really, you don't want?". Upon my double confirm by saying "yes", curious doctor continues to ask "why". I just simply said him "I would not finish my job on time if I take MC." The doctor then gave up to me and say good bye for next patient.

I was thinking again the incident on the back home. Why the young doctor wasn't easy to answer no to his kind offer. Perhaps this is first time experience for him in the given circumstance. I wasn't take MC because I think my sickness is not serious enough to take MC. I had some difficulties to control my urine when I want to urinate. Another case is that my right eye was unfortunately hit by a very hot cooking oil while frying groundnut at my kitchen the day before I went to clinic. Hence, I didn't want to take MC. 

Hopefully the young doctor might have understand why the locals employers keep complaining at restricting foreign worker quota to the authority.

Explore Chances, Myanmar

MYANMAR is opening to the world by keeping its reform process at all cylinders. Unfortunately, the world is not feeling well. See the leading nation, US, it has not fully recovered from the economic crisis. Likewise, EU nations are getting difficulties to find a solution to settle its some member state's debit crisis. In the last of bad series, it seem turn now toward Asia. The on-going maritime dispute between China and Japan make sizable impact on Asia's two biggest economy. I don't know how much those tiny island change are worth. We see visible threat to make big boys enter to the war. Any wrong movement from each side could spark to the war. The US is trying to intervene while two giants are not seen to switch diplomatic button.

For sure, Japanese firms have shut down their factories in mainland China to mitigate the risks. China is trying to survive from soft landing. It is obvious China's economy is export dependent and the weak of US and EU consumers will have some say on China's economical growth. Definitely China may not enjoy two digits growth that it had enjoyed for last decade. Singapore is in the brink of recession. The middle east is always risk due to its Islamist culture. World Bank and ADB are lowering its previous forecast % on economy growth that shown 6% around for Asia's emerging market. In this scenario, how does Myanmar gain its momentum by the help of international community? One thing Myanmar could gain is alluring Japanese investors as they are trying to move away from troublesome China. It is definitely they'll want to invest in Myanmar as we have big market and enough man power. Hope our leaders will able to make wise movement to attract FDI which we badly need at the moment to create necessary jobs.

Privileged Notes

LAST summer, my daughter and sister came visit here for a month. In case of somebody ask for show money in entry to city state, my sister bought some foreign currencies and bring together with her. After return home, she tried to sell back at a local bank where she bought for extra notes. However, she couldn't sell some of them as banking staff refuse to buy for certain reason. His reason is that foreign currency has a tiny ink and folding somewhat. My sister was shocked to learn the incident because she didn't do anything since she occupy it. When she buy, she didn't bother if they are fake or folder or ink or any form of suspicious things on notes because that is first time she is getting foreign currencies in hand.

When I return home for holiday recently, my sister gave me those notes and tell me story she experienced. I see the note and they are in good condition and acceptable to the market use I think. So I take them and bring back when I return Singapore. Coincidentally, my sister in-law also tasted the same experience. She went lion city to search a job and failed the mission. In return, she also went back banks and sell the notes. She gave me those notes which is not accepted by foreign exchange agents. I bought them from her and bring back to Singapore. Soon after I get back republic, I went nearby foreign exchange shop and able to change back to Singapore Dollar without any difficulties. 

I understand that those foreign currency especially US Dollar are expensive to our people and our local staffs can't afford to make any wrong doing as they will need to compensate if they did any wrong. However, it seem over cautious with regard to foreign money. At the same time, our own local notes are extremely spoiling despite they are being circulated in the market. The authority should replace them with new notes so that our people won't infect each other via dirty currency notes. It would be great if our people love our own currency with the same degree of their treatment towards foreign notes. If we don't value our money then who is going to value them? May our authority able to address this long ignore issue.

Kiasu Culture

KIASU, not English word. It is Chinese word which means afraid of lose. Who want to be a loser? It's obvious nobody to this question. But we have to accept it sometime in life inevitably because we cannot be winner every time in life. When I am working abroad, I could notice Singaporean are very used to complain to their associated places. It may include person, firm, council, even government. They would make noise if they feel going to suffer as a result of some action/policies.

Being foreign worker, I always felt unwelcoming voice by locals against the ruling party. They feel that foreign workers make their job market competitive and at worse cost their jobs. Also they are aware of higher property market price as well as uncomfort on public transport. We could understand but we also expect them to sympathy on their visitors who come here to plus the gap they left. We all know that construction industry and some service sectors jobs are usually shy by locals as they are considered less prestige and dangerous. It make ruling party no choice but to import required labour from abroad. Luckily, foreign workers are deem a necessary if republic is suppose to keep growth of its economic by the government. The PAP keep explaining its people how foreign workers have been contributing Singapore's economy as well as creating job opportunities for locals rather than stealing jobs from them.

Most recent report revealed that 80% of local SME are finding difficulties to recruit locals in line with the policy changes in favor of locals. The government is trying to switch to automation to boost productivity rather than relying on intensive labour. However, it seem not realistic for small local firms as it come more expensive in upfront cost unnecessarily. Most of SMEs are quite conservative with the labour enforcing act which they view not effective and practicable. The local employers realize that the locals cannot step in the shoe left by outgoing foreign workers due to tight quota system. Hence, SME association are requesting authority to review the system to suit their requirement. If it is the case, it is nothing to do with foreign worker to the joblessness of locals indeed. In fact, some Singaporean are just making it as an excuses to cover their laziness. They would ever say they cannot do less pay work that usually foreign workers happily do. If they are really want to get job, they should try it first before they can find a better paid job. In frank, no matter how good government is taking care, complain will not end to them because kiasu culture is in their blood, I think.

Women after money ?

ONE day morning, I was taking taxi for my embassy to pay income tax and change passport. Cabby is a retired old man who is 67. He seem quite social and talk from the time I board until I alight. He repeatedly claim himself that he is not driving taxi for money. He've got enough money to enjoy life. I was just a following by nodding my head only. He continues how clever and smart his children are. According to him, his son is working at MNCs with the post of regional manager while his daughter is senior executive manager at a big company. He also boasted that his son in-law is a pilot as well. I'm so pleased to learn Singaporean children are supportive towards their parent because an old man told me that he gets few thousands by his children with monthly basis. 

He was unstoppable to talk and said he gets S$ 2,000 a month from his son alone. I was impressing with the attitude of his hard working mind while he doesn't need money to work. He claimed he had spent so much saving of his life to invest in his children's higher education who went abroad. I said, no wonder they are paying back his faith in their education. At one point, he suddenly told me that he is going to China for holiday very soon. I said it's good to enjoy oversea holiday. When I ask if he's going holiday together with wife, he immediately answered "no, no, with my girl friend". Oh God, I'm so surprised to hear his answer. How come a 67 years old man has a girl friend. He continues to explain how does he keep his girl friend in lion city. She is a main land Chinese lady who is in her mid 30s. He needs to support her S$ 1,800 monthly. He rent her a flat. He said, S$ 2,000 he received from his son was spent for girl friend. What a damn cash flow is it at his age? Finally he concluded his experience on women. You know young man, "Women always after money". 

Perhaps those women around him are in such category. I don't want to argue with him for his remark. I just smile and said goodbye when it reach my destination. I got another lesson why Singaporean's silver age time are not fruitful and loneliness. Hope the cabby I met is not a typical Singaporean old man.